Floor support and draing for an oil heater



Aug. 13, 1968 H. D. ANDERSON FLOOR SUPPORT AND DRAIN FOR AN OIL HEATER Filed June 28, 1966 Fig. 3

Hubert D. Anderson INVENTOR.

BY WW 32m United States Patent 3,396,718 FLOOR SUPPORT AND DRAIN FOR AN OIL HEATER Hubert D. Anderson, Coward, S.C. 29530 Filed June 28, 1966, Ser. No. 561,201 9 Claims. (Cl. 126-278) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A panel supporting an oil heater or the like on a floor surface having a drain conduit communicated with the upper surface thereof and extending downwardly through the floor and out through the exterior wall to a point of discharge exteriorly of a building to drain any leakage from the oil heater to a point exteriorly of the building to eliminate a fire hazard. The panel includes a peripheral flange and an asbestos pad disposed under the panel and secured thereto by an inturned clamp structure integral with the periphery of the panel.

This invention generally appertains to improvements in floor supporting devices for use in supporting an apparatus on the floor of a dwelling and, more particularly, relates to novel improvements in floor support and drain devices for an oil burning apparatus for use in a building or dwelling.

The use of trays or drip pans for oil or gasoline stoves and the like apparatus are well known, which trays or pans are disposed beneath the apparatus in a manner to collect any leakage or drippage of the combustible oil or gasoline and prevent explosions of the oil or gasoline stoves. However, such drip pans or trays do not serve as a support for the apparatus and collect any drippings in such a way that the possibility of explosions remains.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a floor support for an oil burner, which serves the dual purpose of supporting the oil burner on a floor in a manner so that the oil burner is securely positioned on the floor and is out of engagement with the surface of the floor, whereby the floor surface is protected, and for conveying any oil leakage from the stove directly to the ground, surrounding the building or dwelling in which the burner is disposed, whereby any oil, that may leak from the burner, is immediately conveyed to a point exteriorly of the dwelling where the oil can be absorbed by the earth and cannot cause any explosions or otherwise damage the burner or the dwelling.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a heater floor pad with a drain that extends from the pad, beneath the burner, to a point in the ground, surrounding the dwelling in which the burner is operatively disposed.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a drain means, in association with a floor support or pad for an oil burner or heater, which drain means terminates exteriorly of the dwelling or building, in which the heater is disposed, in a specially prepared undersurface bed into which the oil drippage can be disbursed.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a simple, compact and sturdy floor pad or support for an oil burner with an exterior drain means, which can be placed in operation, without extensive modification of the dwelling or building.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of the heater floor 3,396,718 Patented Aug. 13, 1968 support or pad of the present invention, showing a portion of the interior section of the drain means;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the floor support or pad, with an oil burner mounted thereon and shown in elevation and with the drain means shown in association therewith and shown in elevation and leading to the disposal point beneath the ground surrounding the dwelling, and,

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the floor pad showing the construction thereof in detail and illustrating the drain means associated therewith.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the floor support or pad 10 is provided for supporting a conventional oil burner 12, which is mounted thereon and which is supported thereby on the floor 14 of a building or dwelling 16, which has an exterior side wall 18 upstanding from a lower footing portion 20 embedded in the ground 22. It is an object of the present invention to form the floor pad not only in a manner so as to securely support the burner 12 so that the burner cannot move relative to the floor and so that the upper surface of the floor 14 is protected but also so as to convey any oil seepage from the burner 12 to the earth surrounding the bottom footing portion 20 of the exterior wall 18.

As shown more particularly in FIGURES 1 and 2, the floor pad 12 includes a flat bottom portion 24, which is substantially rectangular in plan and which has an upstanding peripheral flange 26 that is of substantially triangular configuration. The bottom 24 and flange 26 are formed in one piece from sturdy rubber or a suitable plastic material, such as a high impact polystyrene which may be provided with flame retarding ingredients. The bottom 24 is of a dimension so as to complement the cross-sectional shape and dimension of the burner 12 which sets on the bottom or base 24 and is held securely thereon, against movement relative thereto by the substantially rigid peripheral flange 26.

The inner upstanding and outwardly sloping wall portion 28 of the flange permits the base of the burner to be easily positioned on the bottom or base portion 24 of the pad and the outer, downwardly sloping portion 30 of the peripheral triangular flange, serves as a reinforcing means for the inner portion so as to prevent it from becoming deformed when the base of the burner comes into accidental contact with it, as the base is being located in proper position and orientated in proper seated relation on the bottom or base portion 24 of the pad. Thus, the flange is rigiditied so that it is of a very substantial rigid nature to resist movement of the base of the burner 12 on the bottom portion 24.

A flat sheet or panel 32 of absorbent and fireproof material, such as asbestos, is disposed beneath the base portion 24 and is secured thereto by a clamping means structurally associated with the pad 12 and defined by an integral clamping flange 34 formed on the lower outer edge of the peripheral flange 26. The clamping means 34 is adapted to secure the fiat asbestos panel in tightly, underlying relationship with the base or bottom portion 24 of the pad. The flange 34 is in the nature of a slightly flexible hook or clamp so that it can be slightly sprung away from the outer wall portion 30 to receive the edge of the panel 32 and clamp the panel 32 in place. The clamping means spaces the asbestos panel slightly above the upper surface 36 of the floor 14.

Means is provided for conveying any oil leakage or seepage from the burner 12 to the ground, away from the exterior wall 18, so that any oil drippage or leakage is not permitted to accumulate in the pad or remain in the vicinity of the burner 12 but is immediately conveyed to a safe remote underground place exteriorly of the dwelling 16.

' The drain means 38 includes a conduit 40, which may be rigid or flexible, and which extends from the floor pad to a point beneath the ground 22, surrounding the lower ground anchored portion 20 of the exterior wall 18. The floor and associated subflooring is provided with a vertical opening 42 to accommodate the inner end of the conduit or tubing 40 and the base or bottom portion 24 and asbestos panel 32 are formed with aligned threaded bores 44 to receive the threaded inner end of the conduit 40, which is secured therein by a locknut 46.

The conduit or tubing 40 extends through a suitable transverse opening 48 in the lower portion 20 of the exterior wall 18 and is disposed in the ground 22 well below the upper surface 50 thereof, with the exterior or outer end portion 52 of the conduit being disposed in a downwardly and outwardly sloped position relative to the wall 18. The free outer end 54 of the outer end portion 52 of the conduit or tubing is positioned within a drain tile or pipe 56 that is embedded in a gravel bed 58 provided in the ground below the upper surface 50.

The floor pad serves to firmly support the burner 12 and to prevent the burner 12 from moving on the upper surface 36 of the floor 14 and, also, serves to prevent the upper surface from becoming scratched or damaged because of direct contact with the base of the oil burner housing.

Any oil seepage or leakage from the oil burner is not permitted to accumulate in the floor pad but is immediately conveyed by gravity flow through the conduit means 38 to the drain tile 56 and gravel bed 58 from whence it dissipates itself into the ground and cannot create a fire hazard within the dwelling or building 16.

The peripheral flange of the floor pad insures that the burner will be supported on the base or bottom portion of the pad and will be held in a positive manner thereon while the asbestos panel is provided for protective purposes so as to prevent any possible fire hazard from being created. The asbestos panel is clamped by the integral clamping means 34 on the outer edge of the rigidified peripheral flange so that it is held securely in contact with the underside of the base or bottom portion 24 of the floor pad.

The pad 10 may be molded from plastic material so that the bottom portion 24, rigidified peripheral flange 26 and clamping means 34 are formed integral with the pad or support 10 being of one-piece construction.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pad for supporting an oil burner on the floor of a building comprising a flat bottom portion on which the base of an oil burner is adapted to seat, said bottom portion having an upstanding peripheral flange for locating the base of the burner securely on the bottom portion and preventing it from sliding relative to the bottom portion, a flat panel disposed beneath the bottom portion, means fixedly securing the panel in attached relation to the underside of the bottom portion and drain means for any oil leakage from the burner connected to the bottom portion and adapted to convey any leaking oil immediately and directly to the exterior of the building.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said panel securing means includes flexible clamping means integral with the flange.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein said pad is of one-piece molded construction, said bottom portion, flange and clamping means being integral.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein said pad is formed from plastic material.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein said plastic material is a high impact polystyrene.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein said panel is formed from asbestos.

7. The invention of claim 1, wherein said drain means includes the provision of a vertical opening in the bottom portion and the panel, a conduit in communication with said opening, means securing the conduit in such communication, said conduit extending downwardly from the pad and outwardly from the building and terminating beneath the ground surrounding the building.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said conduit terminates exteriorly of the building in a downwardly sloping discharge end portion embedded in a gravel bed below the surface of the ground surrounding the building.

9. The invention of claim 1 wherein said drain means includes a conduit communicated with the upper surface of the panel in fluid-tight relation for receiving oil leaked onto the panel, said conduit being relatively small as compared with the area of the panel thereby requiring a relatively small hole through the building floor and exterior wall, the size of said conduit substantially precluding entry of air into the area below the heater placed on the panel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 368,185 8/1887 Brink l26-94 2,473,562 6/1949 Barnes 126-93 2,804,066 8/ 1957 McCutchen 12693 X FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

E. G. FAVORS, Assistant Examiner. 

